Mike Stoops knows all about the expectations at the University of Oklahoma.

He understands Sooner Nation and the Red River Rivalry and the tradition that has been carved by his older brother (and head coach) Bob Stoops.

But in his second stint as OU’s defensive coordinator, one thing he still is getting a grasp on is the style of offensive football in the Big 12.

“It’s a lot different,” Stoops said of his return to the Big 12 after eight years away at Arizona. “Football’s a lot different now, and I don’t know if it’ll ever go back to where it was. I think video football is here to stay — the no huddles, the shotgun stuff. It does stress your defense.”

And that’s one reason Stoops’ return is being seen as such an important step for the Sooners.

When he came to Oklahoma with Bob in 1999, the duo was an instant success, winning two Big 12 titles and a national championship in 2000. That led to Mike being hired as the head coach at Arizona, and he stayed for eight seasons before he was fired last year.

When the door of opportunity swung open, it didn’t take long for Bob to bring Mike back into the OU fold.

Faith is needed now. The Big 12 has some of the most diverse and efficient offenses in college football, and the Sooners have struggled in recent years to keep up with the changes. With West Virginia and TCU added to the mix, and teams such as Baylor embracing the offensive madness, the challenge is greater than ever.

Last season, OU ranked 55th in total defense, allowing 376.2 yards per game. This season, the Sooners rank 17th at 303.0.

So, all good under the new/old administration, right? Well, ask Mike Stoops after the Texas game.

“Ultimately it’s about winning,” he said. “Statistics go out the window. We play twice as many plays [in the Big 12] as everyone else. The common sense is people are going to have more yards on more plays. It comes down to making stops on third down and getting your butt off the field.”

That’s been a focus for the Sooners. They held Kansas State to 24 points (17 allowed by the defense). They held Texas Tech to 21 points, including a touchdown in the final minute. They are starting to show they can adjust to the high-flying offenses and make the key stops when needed.

And the players say they like the interaction with their new defensive coordinator.

“We give him some ideas on what we think is comfortable, and it’s given us some room for error,” cornerback Demontre Hurst said. “It allows us to adjust to what we like to do best.”

Last week, the Sooners decided they wanted to blitz and trust that the defensive backs could cover Tech’s talented receivers. This week, it could be something different against Texas. That’s part of trying to live in the new Big 12.

“They window-dress a lot of their offense — a lot of shifts and movements — and our defense is built for that,” Mike Stoops said of the Longhorns’ versatile offense, which can switch from four receivers to a full backfield to the Wildcat on three plays. “We feel like we’ve got a defense that we’re be able to zero in on the things they’re doing, and hopefully not get too confused. You still have to play your fundamentals, you have to play your alignments and keep your eyes very disciplined. That’s the key. Once they move and shift and trade, then we get lined up properly and that’ll be a big part of the game.”

And that, he said, is part of what doesn’t change, part of what worked in 2000. If you have talent, and that talent performs basic reads and proper tackling, then you can stop even these offenses — at least enough to win games.

“The facilities have changed a little bit … Bob hasn’t changed at all,” Mike Stoops said when asked about the differences since he left. “Hopefully, I’m a little wiser than I was eight years ago.”

It almost seems like he has to be just to keep up.

Improving defense

With assistant coach Mike Stoops back in charge of the defense after an eight-year absence, Oklahoma is posting better numbers this season. Here is where the Sooners rank nationally:

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